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QuirkyArtz moves to town after start in owner’s home

Nan Burns gives to direction to mother and son Lori and Jonathan Young while they paint Tuesday afternoon at QuirkyArtz' new location. Examples of what customers can come paint line the walls.(Photo: Miranda Klein/The Town Talk)Buy Photo

Nan Burns’ husband has said for years it was time to move her business out of their home.

She finally listened, and it looks like he was right.

Yes, a business with more than 3,000 likes on Facebook has been only an in-house operation in what used to be the Burns family’s game room. But no more. As of a little over a week ago, QuirkyArtz Studio has a new space at 4421 Highway 165 in Ball. Its grand opening was Sunday.

“Sunday was our, ‘Yes, we are here, we’re open,’” Burns said.

Now, Burns said excitedly, she doesn’t have to limit herself to serving 12 people at a time. That’s good news since word is getting out thanks to the new location.

“There was no just passing by where I was before,” Burns said referring to her home, also in Ball but far off the road.

QuirkyArtz lets customers channel their inner artist, with the help of a real artist and former art teacher. Burns sketches designs on a canvas and guides adults and young children alike in painting a picture they won’t be ashamed to hang on their wall. Well, most of the time. Burns said she has had only a handful of customers who wouldn’t take any advice from her. But even then, they usually leave feeling proud.

“And that’s all that matters,” Burns said. “That they’re happy.”

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Brightly colored art decorates the walls of QuirkyArtz and serve as examples of what customers can come paint themselves with the help of owner Nan Burns. Examples of simpler drawings geared toward children who want to come paint hang on the window.(Photo: Miranda Klein/The Town Talk)

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Nan Burns gives to direction to mother and son Lori and Jonathan Young while they paint Tuesday afternoon at QuirkyArtz' new location.(Photo: Miranda Klein/The Town Talk)

Even kids do great, Burns said. As long as the parents let them. Burns can remember at least one child upset to the point of tears, because a parent was trying to dictate what color the sky should be.

“I said first of all, ‘You have to stop crying because this is my happy space,’” Burns recalled.

Then, she told the child if green feels like the right color to paint the sky, then it is. Her approach is similar with adults, who are even more unsure of themselves than kids, Burns said.

Sometimes, she’ll offer advice when a customer asks for it. Other decisions she won’t make.

“I’ll let you decide that one,” she told a customer asking Tuesday what spot on her painting would be just right to paint a curly-q.

Burns provides all the supplies needed at her studio like aprons, canvases, brushes, easels and, of course, the paint. Sessions last about two hours and are a popular group birthday party activity. Examples of the drawings customers can create line the walls.

Designs range from fleur de lis and crosses for adults to animals or cartoons for kids. The most popular painting among adults simply says the word “Love,” with the shape of Louisiana in place of the letter “L.” Another favorite is of a lamp post resembling one in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Kids tend to like painting animals, especially owls.

Be warned, though: Burns said she has many customers who come once and keep coming back and coming back. She jokingly has asked some customers how they still have wall space left and found the paintings make popular gifts, too.

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Mother and son Lori and Jonathan Young paint Tuesday afternoon at QuirkyArtz' new location.(Photo: Miranda Klein/The Town Talk)

That’s the reason Lori Young and her son Jonathan, 8, visited QuirkyArtz on Tuesday. Their first visit was just a few days earlier on New Year’s Eve. But they thought the paintings would make good presents, as well.

“I wanted something different,” Young said while painting the fleur de lis she picked out.

For information about booking an individual session or party at QuirkyArtz visit www.quirkyartz.com, or call 318-479-2789.